Fernandez-Castaño enjoying team atmosphere

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño believes Team Europe have gelled well under Miguel Angel Jiménez’s leadership ahead of the EURASIA CUP presented by DRB-HICOM.

The Spaniard partners Stephen Gallacher in the fourth of Thursday’s five fourball matches, with Indian pair Anirban Lahiri and Gaganjeet Bhullar their opponents.

And the BMW Masters winner believes his compatriot Jiménez has done a good job of getting the team to blend.

“It's a good atmosphere on the team, that's for sure,” said Fernandez-Castaño. “Miguel knows how to make everybody happy and excited about the week.

“I think it's a very exciting week ahead - this first edition of the EurAsia Cup, I think it's one of those tournaments that we are looking forward to playing.

“There's a lot of potential here in Asia. Golf is growing so fast, and I think this might become one of the biggest and most important events in the world, probably in the near future.”

Fernandez-Castaño has an inform partner by his side, with Gallacher having recently retained his Dubai Desert classic title.

“I know Gonzo very well,” said the Scot. “Obviously we’ve been on the Tour for a long time and played with him a couple of weeks back in America.

“We are playing some good players, they play on our tour and the Asian Tour, and the standard over here is very, very high. You need to play well if you want to win, it's as simple as that.”

While Fernandez-Castaño and Gallacher are both in good form, there opponents are eager to get an early point for Asia on the board.

“Obviously you play for your country, and then you play for Asia - these are probably two biggest things you can do as a professional golfer,” said Bhullar.

“In this format, this is the biggest event for Asia, at least for the moment, and it's fantastic that we have the opportunity of having the Indian flag stamped out there tomorrow when we go out.

“I've played with a lot of the Europeans and I think tomorrow is going to be a really tough match. Both guys have won a few times on Tour but if you look on our side, we are hungry to go out there and just to make a name for our country and continent. I wouldn't be surprised if we win this trophy.”

The second game sees Danes Thomas Björn and Thorbjørn Olesen take on Japan’s Koumei Oda and Hideto Tanihara, and Björn is looking forward to joining his young compatriot.

“It's a pretty obvious choice for partner,” he said. “We get on well, he's a wonderful player, and he's got a great future ahead of him.

“Ever since he came on the Tour, we have been great friends and to take that out on the golf course now is going to be interesting. It's going to be very exciting I think for the both of us.

“Our opponents are strong players, successful Japanese players.

“The worst thing to do this week is to underestimate any of the 20 players here. Everybody is very capable and they will go out, and there's nothing more exciting to play in a team event and play with one of your competitors.

“I think on both sides of this draw, that's what's come out and I think all four players will be very excited about the day ahead tomorrow.”